As we anticipate some moderation in temperatures the week before Christmas, we may lose some of the regional snow cover. Still it looks like most within the range of MPR broadcasts will likely see a White Christmas.

The National Climatic Data Center provides a data base showing the historical probabilities for a White Christmas, defined as at least 1 inch of snow cover on December 25th. The probability of a White Christmas for some of the specific MPR network stations can be calculated from this data base: Each is shown below:

Speaking of White Christmas, some of our cultural values and expectations, whether weather-related or not, have evolved from religious beliefs and some from secular traditions. These are detailed in a new book by Bruce Forbes called “Christmas: A Candid History”…I highly recommend this book if you are interested in the history of this holiday.